# DECEMBER Tobacco of the Month: Dark Birdseye



## Chris0673 (Aug 20, 2012)

Ok folks here's the TOTM for December! Let's hear what you think!

Dark Birdseye - Manufactured from Dark tobacco 'whole leaf' rather than strips, the mid-rib (or stem) gives the 'birds eye' effect when cut. A strong smoke which was particularly favored by the fishermen as the finer cut meant the tobacco was easier to light and to keep-in on board ship when the weather was bad


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## ravkesef (May 4, 2011)

One thing for sure: I will never be trying this tobacco. I tend to prefer lower nicotine blends, and I have no desire to experiment to see where my head and my digestive system could go with this tobacco. I have no quarrel, however, with those who do like a stronger tobacco. I have only this one question: why is a tobacco that has gotten such low reviews online been selected as the Tobacco of the Month?n no doubt this tobacco hits the sweet spot for a small number of hard-core smokers who really like a strong nicotine blend. But I suspect that the number of those who would like this tobacco, or who would even experiment and sample it, is indeed small. So my question still remains: why has this tobacco been selected?


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## El wedo del milagro (Jul 3, 2012)

ravkesef said:


> So my question still remains: why has this tobacco been selected?


Because it won this month in a vote here on the pipe side of Puff.

I didn't vote for it, but it got the most votes.


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## ravkesef (May 4, 2011)

El wedo del milagro said:


> Because it won this month in a vote here on the pipe side of Puff.


Like I said, I'm sure it hits the sweet spot for a number of smokers, and perhaps this will draw in more who are willing to be bold and venture forth into new territory. Its provenance is certainly top-notch, so let's see what happens.


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## Nachman (Oct 16, 2010)

Dark Birdseye is a dark shag tobacco composed of African Virginias, which are darker and stronger than their American counterparts. It packs easily and stays lit from top to bottom of the bowl, leaving only a grey ash. In the 1800s dark shags were considered a working man's tobacco, partly because it was the cheapest tobacco available, but also because it is strong, hearty and honest, attributes admired then as now by hard working men. Coincidentally it was also the tobacco of choice of the famous Sherlock Holmes, who would definitely not have smoked the weak aromatic blends that often carry his name. Dark Birdseye has a stout dark flavour stopping just short of being bitter. Pack lightly and puff slowly for the best taste and maximum enjoyment. I smoke it in a rather large bowl, because it tastes better that way.


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## JimInks (Nov 11, 2012)

I love Dark Bird's Eye. Haven't smoked it lately, but I've half a pound in a jar, and one of these days, I'll revisit.


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## ravkesef (May 4, 2011)

I want to thank Jim and Nachman for their incisive comments about this tobacco. It points out what we all know: de gustibus non est disputandum, and that's as true of pipe tobacco as it is of any other luxury taste sensation to which we may treat ourselves. For Hanukkah one of my sons bought me Michael Jackson's compendium on Single Malt Scotch. My favorite remains Lagavulin 16, but using this book, I will certainly be inclined to sample the field. I have Scotch drinking friends who prefer Lowland Scotch, something I find to be rather insipid for my taste. But now that you know that I'm partial to Scotch, and to strong, peaty ones at that, (generally Islay Scotch, but also Talisker from time to time,) you would be inclined to guess that I would be smoking an English style tobacco, and you'd be right. Perhaps Latakia is to tobacco as peat is to Scotch. And that would be an interesting study: to correlate liquor and tobacco preferences. Does our favorite alcoholic beverage determine what tobaccos we will like? Is the reverse true? Is there any connection at all? The possibilities are certainly intriguing. For my part, I will likely not be a part of this study because my tastes do not run in the direction of certain tobaccos (VaPers being among them,) as my drinking tastes do not lead me to drink bourbon. I raised my sons to appreciate the finest scotches, and yet one of them is a confirmed bourbon drinker. He had me sample a glass not long ago, and he assured me (as I well knew beforehand,) that it was at the top of the field. I found the taste overly sweet, and unpleasant. But then, my son probably wouldn't like an English tobacco either. 
best,
Eric


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## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

For those of you familiar with this blend, does it carry any of the essence we usually associate with Lakeland tobaccos?


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Stonedog said:


> For those of you familiar with this blend, does it carry any of the essence we usually associate with Lakeland tobaccos?


I certainly do not detect anything of that nature in this.

I love Dark Birdseye, it's strong, simple & easy to smoke. My only complaint with it is that it burns too fast. When I smoke it, I always find myself craving more. I totally agree with Nick, I like this in a large, shallow bowl.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

ravkesef said:


> I have only this one question: why is a tobacco that has gotten such low reviews online been selected as the Tobacco of the Month?


:spy: Low reviews? At tobaccoreviews, there are 33 four star, 34 three star, 13 two star, and only 2 one star ratings. You have rather high standards! :lol:

Dark Birdseye is one of those basic tobaccos that doesn't pall quicky. It delivers a decent nicotine hit, somewhere just past medium, about the same as Kendal Kentucky. The cut burns very nicely, a bit like Prince Albert but with a Sherlock Holmes firm left jab. p Not quite as smooth as Kendal Kentucky, because of the substantial amount of stem in the mix (I think that's the "birdseye" look) and the fact that it's Virginia instead of burley, but it provides a better snork. I would be smoking some right now with Rolling Rock, but I don't have any Dark Birdseye at the moment. I fully intend to load up on some come the new year, however. :nod: For me, it's a solid 3 star tobacco, but I grade tough!







Nothing subtle, nothing bad, just a good solid smoke, as long as you like straight tobacco without the frills.


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## El wedo del milagro (Jul 3, 2012)

freestoke said:


> just a good solid smoke, as long as you like straight tobacco without the frills.


Sold! 
I gotta try this stuff.


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## ravkesef (May 4, 2011)

I must begin with an apology. I apparently migrated to the wrong site when I went to check the ratings on the Dark Birdseye. Having found the correct site, I see I was quite mistaken in my initial statement. This is clearly a tobacco that has the highest ratings from those who smoke it, and for all those who were puzzled or even perhaps offended by my initial remarks, I offer my sincere apologies. I have read through the reviews and the ingredients carefully, and while I can now appreciate why this was selected as the tobacco of the month, and understand a bit better why so many people enjoy this tobacco, I must once again reiterate that its excellence notwithstanding, it is not the go to tobacco for this Light English smoker. I may be inclined to try a bowl occasionally, but given that it is a high nicotine blend, and I go for lower nicotine levels, I doubt that I would be willing to risk the physiological consequences. But for the rest of you – enjoy!


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Hey, Eric, I didn't mean to bring you down! :hippie: No apologies needed, but I do appreciate your checking to see what we like about it. :tu As for the nicotine, as long as you don't smoke strong tobacco on an empty stomach, keep pouring down the beer or whatever to keep it "dilute", you can learn your limits and begin pushing the envelope -- and become hopeless addicted. :lol: Nicotine is actually the best brain booster yet found, according to the people who study such things. (There's a word this, but for some reason I can't quite come up with it.) Nightcap would be more down your alley, English/Latakia-wise, my go to blend for cramming in college. Not quite as strong as Dark Birdseye, so it shouldn't be all that fearsome.


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## ravkesef (May 4, 2011)

Thanks, Jim, you're a true gentleman. For my part, while I am willing to make as many mistakes as possible along life's path, when one is called to attention, I immediately try and rectify it. I haven't the foggiest idea what it was that I looked up when I first tried to get a handle on this tobacco, but I admit that I was puzzled to see it shoot into first place like that. Once you called my attention to the matter, I realized that I had mistakenly checked the wrong tobacco, and was unwilling to let my mistake go uncorrected, so I do thank you for bringing the matter up.
As for trying the tobacco, or developing a greater tolerance for Vitamin N, I suspect that 54 years of pipe smoking have served to establish a few patterns. Nonetheless, I'm always willing to experiment and learn, so who knows--now that I see the high reviews, I may spring for a can, and smoke a bowl--in increments, most likely, and see how it goes down. 
Confessions: I tried Nightcap back in 1970, and found it a bit on the powerful side back then, but who knows--tastes change and I may find it to be the perfect nightcap these days perhaps split into two sessions. Of course, SWMBO still doesn't understand why I have so many tobaccos, but she loves me and supports my hobby. After dinner, I retire down to the man-cave that she and my sons built for me, light up a bowl, crank up the music, pick up and book and enjoy life at its best. and who knows--that may include a bowl of dark birdseye in the near future.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Stonedog said:


> For those of you familiar with this blend, does it carry any of the essence we usually associate with Lakeland tobaccos?


Thought I'd add one of my suspicions to this thread: The online retailers almost certainly have the tobaccos grouped together by blender, so that the SG, GH&Co., Dunhills, etc. are together in the storeroom so you can locate them. Many of the GH&Co. tobaccos have the distinctive toppings, but they are terrible ghosters, and it wouldn't surprise me if Louisiana Flake, Scotch Flake and other bulks could pick up the "essence" simply sitting together on the shelves. Furthermore, people tend to order a few different bulk blends from the same blender to try them, so when the package arrives, that Dark Birdseye could wind up smelling like Ennerdale or one of the others that DO have the "essence". Probably leads to a lot of confusion. My suggestion is to buy the tins of the Lakelands rather than bulk; the cost is usually about the same, as long as you aren't buying 500g bricks, in which case it's easy to avoid ghosting and still get free shipping simply by not buying any other bulks in the same shipment. I also think the tinned versions are "fresher". an important feature for Lakelands since the toppings are generally quite volatile and fade quickly in a ziplock, so the tins are preferable for that reason alone.


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## splattttttt (May 17, 2012)

Nachman said:


> Dark Birdseye is a dark shag strong tobbaco, hearty and honest, attributes admired then as now by hard working men


Hope you don't mind my slightly edited summary, just so to highlight as to why I went and ordered 8oz after reading your post; thanks Nick


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